2017 AUDI A8 Owners Manual

C)
_& WARNING
-The cooling system is under pressure. Do
not open the coolant expansion tank cap
when the engine is hot. This increases the
risk of burns .
- The coolant add itive and the coolant can be
dangerous to your health. For this reason,
keep the coolant in the original container
and away from children. There is a risk of
poisoning.
- When working in the engine compartment,
remember that the radiator fan can sw itch
on even if the ignition is switched off, which
increases the risk of injury.
CD Note
Do not add coolant if the expansion tank is
empty. Air could enter the cooling system and
damage the engine. If this is the case, do not
continue driv ing. See an authorized Audi deal­
er or authorized Audi Service Facility for assis­
tance.
Brake fluid
N
N
-N
" co IXl
F ig. 262 Engine compartment: cap on brake fluid re servoir
Observe the safety precautions c:> &. in Working
in the engine compartment on page 2 71.
Checking the brake fluid level
" Read the brake fluid level on the brake fluid
reservoir
c:> page 2 74, fig. 259. The brake fluid
level must be between the MIN and MAX mark­
ings
c:> &_ .
~ The brake fluid level is mon itored automatically .
" N ...... 0 0 :r Checking and Filling
Changing the brake fluid
Have the brake fluid changed regularly by an au­
thorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service
Facility.
A WARNING
-
- If the brake fluid level is below the MIN
marking, it can impair the braking effect
and driving safety, which increase the risk of
an accident . Do not continue dr iving. See an
author ized Audi dealer or author ized Audi
Service Facility for assistance.
- If the brake fluid is old, bubbles may form
in the brake system dur ing heavy braking.
This would impair braking performance and
driving safety, which increases the r isk of an
accident.
- To ensure the brake system functions cor­
rectly, only use brake fluids that comply
with VW standard 50114 or FM VSS -116 DOT 4.
CD Note
-If the brake f luid level is above the MAX
marking, brake f luid may leak out over the
edge of the reservoir and result in damage
to the vehicle.
- Do not get any brake fluid on the vehicle
paint, because it wi ll corrode the paint.
Battery
General warnings about batteries
Because of the complex power supply, all wo rk
on batter ies such as disconnecting, replac ing,
etc. should
only be performed by an authorized
Audi dealer or authorized Audi Service Fac il ity
c:> & .
The term "vehicle battery" refers to the 12 Volt
battery in your vehicle.
Detailed warnings for the vehicle battery:
® Wear eye protection.
I.)._ Bat~ery acid is highly corrosiv~. Wear pro-
~ tect1ve gloves and eye protection. Ill-
279

Checking and Filling
@
Fire, sparks, open flame and smok ing are
forb idden.
~
A highly explosive mixture of gases can
form when charging batteries.
®
Keep c hildren away from bat tery acid and
batteries.
A WARNING
All work on the battery or electrica l system in
your vehicle can result in injuries, chemical
burns, accidents or burns. Because of this, a ll
work m ust be performed
only by an author­
ized Aud i dea le r o r autho rized Aud i Serv ice
Facili ty.
A WARNING
California Proposit io n 65 Warning:
- Battery posts, termina ls and re lated acces­
so ries contai n lead and lead compounds,
chemicals known to the Sta te of Californi a
to ca u se ca nce r and rep roduct ive p roblems.
Wash hands after handling.
0 Note
Protect the vehicle ba ttery against freezing if
t he vehicle will be p arked for long per iods of
time so th at it is not destroyed by "free zing"
c::>page 280.
@ For the sake of the environment
~ Batteries cont ain poll utin g substances suc h
as s ulfu ric ac id and lead. Contac t an a uthor­
ized Audi dealer or aut horized Audi Service
Facility for more information.
Vehicle battery
The term "vehicle battery" refers to the 12 Volt
battery in your vehicle.
Not running the vehicle for long periods of
time
If you do not drive your ve hicle for seve ral days or
weeks, e lec trical equipment is gradually scaled
back or switched off. This reduces energy use and
ensures the veh icle wi ll be able to start after long
periods of time
c::> page 130 . Some conven ience
280
funct ions, such as interior lighting o r power seat
adjustment, may not be avai lab le under certain
c ircumstances. These convenience functions will
be available again once you switch the ignition on
and start the eng ine.
Even when electrical equipment is switched off,
the eq uipment can st ill dra in the vehicle batte ry
if the veh icle is not dr iven for long pe riods of
time . Deep drai ning results in a chemica l reaction
that destroys t he ins ide of the vehicle battery .
The vehicle battery must be charged every mon th
to reduce the risk of this happening
c::> page 280 .
Contact an a uth o rized Aud i dea le r or a uth o rized
Audi Se rvice Fac ility for mo re informa tion.
Winter operat ion
Co ld weather places higher demands on the vehi ­
cle battery . T his res ults in reduced starting ab ili­
ty. Have the vehicle batte ry checked by an au­
thorized Audi dea le r or authori zed Audi Service
Fac ility befo re t he cold time of year.
Charging the vehicle battery
Fi g. 2 63 En g ine compa rt m ent: con nectors fo r a c ha rge r
and j ump start cab les
Requirement: only use chargers with a maximum
charging voltage of 30 amp s/14 .8 Volts .
The
vehicle battery cab les remain connected .
.. Read the warnings
c::> A in General warnings
about batteries on page 280
and c::> A .
.. Switch off the ign it ion and all electrica l equ ip­
ment.
.. Open the hood
c::> page 273.
.. Remove the cover© by pressing on the ar row
¢ fig . 263 .
" Open the cover @on the pos itive terminal. .,.

0 co .... N ,..... N .... 0 0 :c ' ~ Clamp the charger terminal clamps to the jump
start pins according to the instructions. (pin un­
der the cover= "pos it ive", pin with hexagonal
head
= "negative").
~ Insert the power cable for the charging device
into the socket and switch the device on .
~ At the end of the charging process, switch the
charger off and pull the power cab le out of the
socket.
~ Now remove the charg ing device terminal
clamps.
~ Close the cover @on the positive terminal and
re-install the cover
(D.
~ Close the hood c:> page 2 73.
A drained battery can freeze at temperatures
around 322F (OQC). A frozen or thawed out bat­
tery must no longer be used. The battery housing
could be cracked by the formation of ice, which
could cause battery acid to leak out
c:> A .
Charg ing the b att ery
On ly use chargers with a ma ximum cha rg ing
voltage of 14.8 V. The battery connecting cables
do not need to be disconnected. Do not open the
battery when charg ing .
Read a ll of the manufact urer 's instructions for
the charger before charging the battery.
A WARNING
- A highly exp losive mixture of gases can form
when charging batter ies. Only charge the
vehicle battery in well-vent ilated areas.
- A drained battery can freeze at tempera­
tures around 32 °F (0 °C). A frozen or
thawed ve hicle battery must not be charged
and must not be used anymore. The battery
housing can crack and battery acid can leak
o ut if ice fo rms, wh ic h in creases the r is k of
an exp losion and chemica l burns. Conta ct an
au thori zed Aud i dealer o r autho rized Aud i
Service Facility fo r mo re information.
- Do not connect o r disconnect the charg ing
cable while charg ing because th is increases
the risk of an exp losion.
Ch eck ing and Filling
{!) Tips
-Only charge the vehicle battery through the
connect ions in the engine compartment.
- Read all of the manufacturer's instructions
for the charger before charging the vehicle battery.
Windshield washer system
F ig . 2 64 Engine compartmen t: was her fluid reservo ir cap
M N ~ N
"' co m
The windshield washer fluid reservoir O contains
the cleaning solution for the w indshield and the
headlight washer system¢
fig. 264, ¢ page 2 74.
The reservoir capacity is found in c:> page 334 .
To reduce the risk of lime scale deposits on the
spray nozzles, use clean water with low amo unts
of calcium. Always add window cleaner to the wa­
ter. When the outside temperatures are cold, an
anti-freezing agent should be added to the water
so that it does not freeze .
(D Note
-The concentration of ant i-freez ing agent
must be adjusted to the veh icle operat ing
conditions in the respective climate . A con­
centration that is too high can lead to vehi­
cle damage.
- Never add radiator anti-free ze or other addi­
tives to the washer fluid.
- Do not use a glass cleaner that con ta ins
pai nt so lvents, because t his could damage
t he paint.
281

Checking and Filling
Service interval display
The service interval display detects when your ve­
hicle is due for service.
The service interval display works in two stages:
-Inspection or oil change reminder: after a cer-
tain distance driven, a message appears in the
instrument cluster display each time the igni ­
tion is switched on or off . The remaining dis­
tance or time is displayed briefly.
- Inspection or oil change due: if yo ur vehicle
has reached an inspection or oi l change interval
or both intervals at the same time, the mes­
sage
Inspection due! or Oil change due! or Oil
change and inspection due!
appears briefly af­
ter switching the ignition on/off .
Checking service intervals
You can check the remaining distance or time un­
til the next oil change or next inspection in the
Car menu. To do this, select : the
ICARI function
but ton
> Car systems control button > Servicing
& checks > Service intervals .
Resetting the indicator
Your authorized Audi dealer or authorized Audi
Serv ice Facility will reset the serv ice interval dis­
p lay after performing serv ice.
If you have changed the oil yourself, you must re­
set the oil change interva l.
To reset the indicator, select : the
ICARI function
button
> Car systems contro l button > Servicing
& checks > Service intervals. Turn the control
knob downward to
Reset oil change interval and
press the control knob.
([) Note
-Only reset the oil change indicator if the oil
was changed .
- Following the service intervals is critical to
maintain ing the service life and va lue of
your vehicle, especially the engine. Even if
the m ileage on the vehicle is low, do not ex­
ceed the time for the next service.
282

0
a:,
.... N ...... N .... 0
0
I Wheels
Wheels and Tires
General information
.,.Check your tires regularly for
damage (punctures, cuts, cracks
and bulges). Remove foreign ob­
jects from the tire tread.
.,. If driving over c urbs or similar
obstacles, drive slowly and ap ­
proach the curb at an angle.
.,.Have faulty tires or rims re­
placed immediately.
.,.Protect your tires from oil,
grease and fuel.
.,.Mark tires before removing
them so that the same running direction can be maintained if
they are reinstalled .
.,.Lay tires flat when storing and
store them in a cool, dry location
with as little exposure to light as possible.
(D Note
-Please note that summer and winter tires are designed for
the conditions that are typical in those seasons. Audi recom­
mends using winter tires dur­
ing the winter months. Low
temperatures significantly de­
crease the elasticity of summ ­
er tires, which affects traction
Wheels
and braking ab ility. If summer
tires are used in very cold
temperatures, cracks can form on the tread bars, result ing in
permanent tire damage that
can cause loud driving noise
and unbalanced tires.
-Burnished, polished or chromed rims must not be
used in winter driving condi­
tions. The surface of the rims does not have sufficient corro­
sion protection for this and
could be permanently dam­
aged by road salt or sim ilar
substances.
Ti re designations
Fig. 265 Tire specification codes on the
sidewall of a tire .,.
283

Wheels
(D Tires for passenger vehicles
(if applicable)
P indicates a tire for a passenger
vehicle. T indicates a tire desig­
nated for temporary use.
@ Nominal width
Nominal width of the tire be­
tween the sidewalls in millime­
ters. In general: the larger the
number, the wider the tire.
@ Aspect ratio
Height/width ratio expressed as a
percentage.
@ Tire construction
R indicates a radial tire.
® Rim diameter
Size of the rim diameter in inches.
@ Load index and speed rating
The load index indicates the tire's
load-carrying capacity.
The speed rating indicates the maximum permitted speed
¢ & in
Winter tires on page 298.
"EXTRA LOAD", "xl" or "RF" indi­
cates that the tire is reinforced or
is an Extra Load tire.
Speed rat- Maximum permitted speed
ing
p
up to 93 mph (150 km/h)
Q up to 99 mph (160 km/h)
284
Speed rat- Maximum permitted speed
Ing
R
up t o 106 mph (170 km/h)
s up to 110 mph (180 km/h)
T up to 1 18 mph (190 km/h)
u up to 124 mph (200 km/h)
H up to 130 mph (210 km/h)
V up to 149 mph (240 km/h)al
z above 149 mph (240 km/h)al
w up to 168 mph (270 km/h)al
y up to 186 mph (300 km/h)al
a) For tires above 149 mph (240 km/h),
tire manufacturers sometimes use the
code "ZR".
(j) US DOT number (TIN) and
manufacture date
The manufacture date is listed on
the tire sidewall (it may only ap­
pear on the inner side of the tire):
DOT ... 2216 ...
means, for example, that the tire
was produced in the 22nd week of
the year 2016.
@ Audi Original equipment
tires
Audi Original equipment tires
with the designation "AO" have
been specially matched to your
Audi. When used correctly, these
tires meet the highest standards
for safety and handling. An au­
thorized Audi dealer or author­
ized Audi Service Facility will be

able to provide you with more in­
formation .
® Mud and snow capability
"M/5" or "M+S" indicates the tire
has properties making it suitable
to drive in mud or snow .
& indi­
cates a winter tire .
@Composition of the tire cord
and materials
The number of plies indicates the
number of rubberized fabric lay­
ers in the tire. In general: the
more layers, the more weight a
tire can carry . Tire manufacturers
must also specify the materials
used in the tire. These inc lude
steel, nylon, polyester and other
materials.
@ Maximum permitted load
This number indicates the max i­
mum load in kilograms and
pounds that the tire can carry.
@ Uniform tire quality grade
standards for treadwear,
traction and temperature resistance
Tread wear, traction and temper ­
ature ranges ¢
page 300.
0 @ Running direction
"' -~ The arrows indicate the running
-~ direction of unidirectional tires . ...
Wheels
You must always follow the speci­
fied runn ing d irect ion
¢ page 319 .
@ Maximum permitted
inflation pressure
This number indicates the maxi ­
mum pressure to which a tire can
be inflated unde r normal operat­
ing condit ions.
Glossary of tire and loading
terminology
Accessory weight
means the comb ined weigh t (in
excess of those standard items
which may be replaced) of auto­
matic transm ission, power steer­
ing , power brakes, power win­
dows, power seats, radio, and
heater, to the extent that these
items are available as facto ry-in­
stalled equipment (whether in ­
stalled or not) .
Aspect ratio
means the ratio of the heigh t to
the width of the tire in percent .
Numbers of 55 or lowe r indicate a
low sidewa ll for improved steer­
ing response and better overall
handling on dry pavement. .,.
285

Wheels
Bead
means the part of the tire that is
made of steel wires, wrapped or
reinforced by ply cords and that is
shaped to fit the rim .
Bead separation
means a breakdown of the bond
between components in the bead.
Cord
means the strands forming the
plies in the tire.
Cold tire inflation pressure
means the tire pressure recom­
mended by the vehic le manufac­
turer for a tire of a des ignated
size that has not been driven for more than a couple of miles (kilo­
meters) at low speeds in the
three hour period before the tire pressure is measured or adj usted.
Curb weight
means the weight of a motor ve­
hicle w ith standard equipment in ­
cluding the maximum capacity of
fuel, oil, and coolant, air condi ­
tioning and additiona l weight of
op tional equipment.
E x tra load tire
means a tire des igned to operate
at higher loads and at h igher in -
286
flation pressures than t he corre­
spond ing standa rd tire. Extra load
tires may be identified as "XL",
"xl" , "EXTRA LOAD" , or "RF" on
the sidewall.
Gross A xle Weight Rating
("GAWR ")
means the load-carrying capacity
of a single axle system , measured
at the ti re-gro und interfaces.
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
("GVWR")
means the max imum total loaded
weight of the vehicle .
Groove
means the space between two ad­
jacent tread ribs .
Load rating (code)
means the maximum load tha t a
tire is rated to carry for a given in­
flation pressure. You may not find
this informat ion on all ti res be­
cause it is not required by law .
Maximum load rating
means the load rating for a tire at
the maximum permissible infla­
tion p ressure for that ti re .
Maximum loaded vehicle
weight
means the sum of: